Wireless devices, such as smartphones, portable computers, tablets, etc., have pervaded modern society as they have the potential to provide a host of benefits, such as improving user productivity, providing on-the-go entertainment, increasing safety through connectivity, etc. However, such benefits can be quickly reduced or lost when a wireless device experiences a weak or loss of signal condition. For example, weak or loss of signal conditions can occur in today's wireless networks, such as third generation (3G) carrier networks, fourth generation (4G) carrier networks, WiFi local area networks (LANs), etc., due to any of a multitude of causes, such as, but not limited to, (i) a wireless device moving out-of-range of a network access point (e.g., a wireless router, a base station, etc.). (ii) one or more interior walls blocking the signal path, (iii) active interference from one or more sources, (iv) passive multipath interface resulting from the destructive combination of multiple signal reflections. (v) network congestion, etc. Prior approaches for improving weak and/or loss-of-signal conditions typically utilize signal extenders (e.g., such as repeaters, boosters, etc.) positioned at fixed locations to repeat or otherwise enhance average wireless signal quality at those fixed locations.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts, elements, etc.